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PONTIFICAL COUNCIL for INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL for INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE 50 YEARS IN THE SERVICE OF INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE Rev.Fr. Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, Secretary Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue 19 May 2014 Your Eminences, Excellencies, Honoured Guests and dear Friends, It is a privilege for me to present to you some important parts of the history of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, now in its milestone of fifty years and of which I am the Secretary for almost the past two years now. It is a pleasure to share with you this journey of half a century years which is certainly not that long in the two thousand year history of the Catholic Church but at the same time is rich in its significance. In my opinion, this period witnessed the opening of, to use a word so dear to Pope Francis, mercy with which the Church has protected and continues protecting the life of this world. The Vatican II Council, in asking us to listen to a rapidly changing world, called for adequate responses, making use of appropriate means, to witness to the Gospel of Jesus so that it reaches even those frontiers that seem insurmountable and more complicated: i.e. in the hearts of men and women who practise other religions in their friendly encounters with others and that is dialogue. First of all, I apologize for this extremely brief and incomplete account of the fifty years of service to interreligious dialogue. However, I hope to be able to give at least an idea of the work done in this respect all these years. I would like to recount, quickly, thus not exhaustively, some salient lived moments of the history of this Dicastery, thanks to all who beginning with the Presidents have worked hard to make manifest the will expressed by the Church to enter into dialogue with the believers of other religious traditions. 1. The Secretariat for Non-Christians (1964) As is well-known, the Secretariat for Non-Christians was instituted by Pope Paul VI on 19th May 1964 with the Apostolic Letter Progrediente Concilio, to promote friendly relations between the Church and the followers of non-Christian religions. Following this, the encyclical Ecclesiam Suam (6 August 1964) and later on the Conciliar Declaration Nostra aetate, whose 50th anniversary we shall commemorate on 28th October 2015 provided the fundamental theological foundation for the work of the Secretariat. The Apostolic Constitution Regimini Ecclesiae Universae, (15 August 1967), defined the structure of the Secretariat and spelt out its objectives: “To search for methods and ways of opening a suitable dialogue with non-Christians. (It) is concerned about therefore that the non-Christians are known well and are justly esteemed by Christians and equally so they too may know and equally appreciate Christian doctrine and life” (Regimini Ecclesiae Universae, 99). On 22 October 1974, by the desire of the same Pope Paul VI, the Commission for Religious Relations with the Muslims was established to promote and to strengthen relations between Muslims and Catholics. 1. The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (1988) In 1988, as part of the reorganization of the Curia carried out with the Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus (28 June 1988), the title of the Secretariat was changed to Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID). In the same Constitution, in paragraphs related to the tasks entrusted to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (§ 159 and 160), we read: Art. 159 — The Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue fosters and supervises relations with members and groups of non-Christian religions as well as with those who are in any way endowed with religious feeling. Art. 160 — The Council fosters suitable dialogue with the followers of other religions and encourages various kinds of relations with them. It promotes appropriate studies and conferences to develop mutual information and esteem, so that human dignity and the spiritual and moral riches of people may ever grow. The Council sees to the formation of those who engage in this kind of dialogue. 1. The first twenty-five Years (1964-1984) 1964-1973 In the first decade, (1964-1973), during the Presidency of H. Em.Card. Paolo Marella when Rev.Fr. Pierre Humbertclaude was the Secretary; the Secretariat was concerned with establishing the right foundation for a fruitful dialogue. Experts were invited and with their help a whole series of guidelines on dialogue with the Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and the followers of African Traditional Religions, along with theological and pastoral reflections were published and were made available to the public through the publication of the Bulletin Secretariatus pro Non Christianis (later renamed Pro Dialogo). The first issue was published in 1966 with a presentation by H. Em. Card. Marella and for the first and the only one time, with an article in Latin on “Quid de non Christianis Oecumenicum Concilium Vaticanum II docuerit” signed by Mons. Pietro Rossano. Until 1974, the Bullettin was published in English and French which were later on unified. In 1967, for the first time, a message with best wishes addressed to the Muslims for the end of Ramadan was sent. In 1971, two new sections within the Secretariat were created: for Asian religions and Traditional Religions alongside the already existent section for Islam. Not only the Secretariat but the entire Catholic Church, following the directions given by the Vatican II Council was developing its dialogue activities in every part of the world in a manner that was unprecedented. This period also saw the first meeting with the Office for Interreligious Dialogue of the World Council of Churches. 1973-1980 From 1973-1980, during the Presidency of H. Em. Card. Sergio Pignedoli with H.Ex. Mons. Pietro Rossano (1973-1982) as Secretary who was the former Undersecretary, there was a great expansion of contacts with religious leaders in different parts of the world. There were many trips and visits to Rome. Formal meetings were organized both with Episcopal Conferences and with representatives of other religions to encourage the path of dialogue. It is also worth remembering that in 1979, he organized the first Plenary Assembly of the Secretariat for non-Christians. This was an occasion to take stock of the situation of dialogue in the world and to plan for future work. A questionnaire on Dialogue was sent by the Secretariat to all the Consultors and some experts; the responses received in Rome were the subject of discussion of the Plenary Assembly. The numerous meetings, the visits of personalities of other religions and the warm reception of these guests at the Secretariat, together with theological reflections guided and directed the Dicastery in the method and content. Among the many visits during this period, I consider the visit of a Saudi delegation from 24th to 27th of October 1974 particularly important. The delegation was received by members of the Secretariat and the Commission for Justice and Peace and there was some discussion on issues of human rights. The most solemn moment of the visit was the Audience with Pope Paul VI. The visit was a success and was given wide coverage by the Arab Press. 1980-1984 It was a time of reflection and consolidation during the Presidency of H. Ex. Mons. Jean Jadot. Until 1982 H. Ex. Mons. Rossano was still the Secretary; later replaced by H.Ex. Mons. Marcello Zago. The reflection found its expression in the first official document published by the Dicastery: The attitude of the Church towards the followers of other religions. Reflections and Orientations on Dialogue and Mission (1984), known as Dialogue and Mission. The document which places interreligious dialogue in the context of the wider mission of the Church, drawing from the theological foundations of Vatican Council II, is divided into three parts: 1) Reflection on the mission of the Church; 2) the reasons for dialogue (nos. 29-35 distinguish various forms of dialogue); 3) reflection on the relationship between dialogue and evangelizing mission of the Church. During the same time, the local Churches were encouraged to establish appropriate structures for dialogue. Permit me please at this juncture to speak about two of my predecessors who were prematurely called to the House of the Lord. They are H.Ex. Mons. Pietro Rossano and H.Ex. Mons. Marcello Zago, both of whom are well- known to you. These two Secretaries, thanks to their tireless, generous and deeply scientific style of work, have greatly contributed to the development of reflection that accompanied the early years of the Dicastery setting the stage for future work. H.Ex. Mons. Pietro Rossano worked at the Secretariat for non- Christians from 1965 to 1982; from 1967 to 1973 as the Undersecretary and then as Secretary until 1982. It is a well-known fact that the rich production of texts was due to him. Among the many texts, I remember the first one which was a concise but essential presentation of Christianity to non-Christians titled, “The Hope that is in us” which was translated into forty languages. It was not a casual choice but one that was dictated by the conviction that introducing Christianity could help in laying the foundations for a fruitful and sincere dialogue, free from ignorance and prejudice. Essentially, it was also the contribution of H.Ex. Mons. Marcello Zago, the Secretary from 1983 to 1986. As has already been indicated, the first document of the Secretariat for non- Christians, Dialogue and Mission which saw the light in 1984 was the result of the reflection and guidance by Mons. Zago, known not only for his knowledge of religions but also for his missionary sensibility. I also remember that he was one of the major architects of the interreligious meeting in Assisi on 27 October 1986.
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